Mel Gibson makes surprise appearance at Mad Max: Fury Road premiere

These days, it’s rare to see Mel Gibson on a red carpet. But the actor stepped out Thursday night, making an appearance at the Mad Max: Fury Road premiere in Los Angeles. Gibson played the original Mad Max in the 1979 film, as well as in two sequels, a role that cemented his status in Hollywood as both a leading man and bonafide action star.

In the 2015 reboot, directed by George Miller, Tom Hardy takes on the persona of the Road Warrior—a role he admits he coveted. “Out of all the characters that there are, with all the superheroes knocking about, here’s a guy who’s got an iconic superhero suit, in a way, but he’s not a superhero. And he’s in a very epic world of his own,” Hardy told EW. And although the actor was understandably nervous about stepping into such iconic shoes, he managed to get Gibson’s approval after meeting him for lunch. “He [told my bosses], ‘I think you may have possibly found someone madder than I am,’” Hardy said. “That’s a compliment, right?”